Database-driven applications on the web are organized such that a user is allowed to request and receive information stored in a database over a network. Information is provided from a database, typically through an application server, to the client application (e.g., browser). However, the databases underlying such applications do not guarantee the availability of detailed data underlying each cell of data which provides a complete story of how a particular value was derived. In addition, present databases do not have the native ability to deal with unreliability or uncertainty of information. These databases cannot take into account the variability of information sources and reputations. Accordingly, there remains a need for a database solution which hosts the raw data underlying the information used directly by applications, and also manages the complexities therein, for example, by crystallizing the set of data underlying each cell down to summarized, easy-to-use data point. In addition, there remains a need to allow users to view and access information relating to the reliability of such information and to contribute additional knowledge to improve upon it.